eastman



E. G. "EASTMAN,A OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK Letters Patent No. 78,655,dated June 9, 1868,

IMPRQYEMENT IN PEN-HOLDERS.

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, TO ALL WHOM ITV MAY CONCERN Be it. known that G. EASTMAN, of the cityof Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Penmenis Assistants; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full description of the same.

In my patents of the `5th November, 1861, and 9th February, 1864, forimprovements in pcnmcns assistants, I have thereindescribed a ball, withfinger-supports attached thereto, and a palm, with finger-supports andpen-holder attached thereto, as means for assisting the learner to'acquire av correct system of penmanship. As following out the sametheory 'or train of ideas, and as the natural sequence of my previousinventions, I have modiiied the application of the principle thereinsuggested, by giving an egg-shape 'to the ball previously used,

. and suspending it loosely bya swivel to a. pen-holder'on which theringer-supports are secured, instead of vbeing attached to the. ball, asin the former case.

But to describe my improvements more particularly, I will -refer to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, the sameletters of reference, wherever they occur, referring to like parts.

' Figure 1 is a. perspective view of the penmans assistant, as held hythe writer.

Figure 2is a, detached view of the p enmans assistant.

Letter represents an egg-'shaped metal forn, which may be madeof anysuitable material and size to adapt it to the hand of either young orold persons using it, and solid, or of skeleton form, as maybe desired.To the base or upper end of the form" is secured an eye, B, into which ahook, C, enga'ges to connect it with 4the pen-holder D,.by means oftIslidefE, secured thereon; The hook C and slide E, however, are notmaterial,

as they may-be dispensed with, and a band of, India rubber or otherstrappingfsubstituted therefor, to hold the '4 -form attached to thepen-holder. The object of this arrangement is to allow ci'.y the form tobe loosely attached to the pen-holder, that the-writerv may have thefree motion of his. thumb and fore and middle fingers lto move the pen,and yet preserve the proper conformation 'of the hand in holding-it.

To keep the-pen inits proper position in the hand, a ring, F, is securedto the side of thcpen-holder, in sucha position as 'toiit on the forenger,'ncar its junction with thehand.y By this means, when the thumb andmiddle finger rest upon the supports G and H, on the lower end of thepen-holder, it will assume its nat- .ural or proper position foracquiring a correct stylelf wryting, while-the form will give support tothe hand to steady it, and at the same time, by its conformation,prevent the'writer from cramping th iingers or turning the hand up orAon the bacl, so as to throw the upper edof the pen-holder outwards,instead of pointing it over theright shoulder, as is the proper way.V v

, Having now described my invention, I will proceed to set forth what Iclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States.

1. The combination of the eggshaped hand-support or form, A, withapen-holder, by means of the swivel-joint, o r equivalent therefor,.substantially as hereinbefore described.

` 2. I also claim, in combination with-a pen-holder, the ringF, ashereinbeforeset forth.

H. G. EASTMAN.

Witnesses:

C. ARTHUR TOTTEN, CHARLES L. BARBIN.

